Charles considers plan to give refugees shelter at Dumfries House estate
SENIOR Royals are considering plans to open some of their homes to Ukrainian refugees fleeing the horrors of war.
Aides to the Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William are understood to be examining a range of ‘practical measures’, including the possibility of jobs and training courses, as well as providing accommodation.
Charles is said to be looking at finding spaces on his Dumfries House estate in Ayrshire as well as sites across his Duchy of Cornwall holdings, which include a number of holiday homes.
The Queen’s Balmoral estate on
Royal Deeside and Sandringham in Norfolk, which are both private and not funded by the taxpayer, could also provide space in holiday-rental cottages and offer temporary tourism-related and hospitality jobs.
A source told The Mail on Sunday: ‘All the households are united in this – the Queen, Charles and
William – with all three agreed
‘Could provide cottages and temporary jobs’
that they should find a practical way to help Ukrainian refugees.
‘It means looking at accommodation options in England, including the Duchy of Cornwall, where Charles has a lot of holiday homes, and Scotland, where he has Dumfries House and the Queen has her Balmoral estate.’
The Queen, Charles and his wife Camilla and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have all donated to a coalition of 15 British charities working on the Disasters Emergency Committee Ukraine appeal.
Charles and William have also spoken out in support of Ukrainians resisting Russian aggression, but it is understood they are keen to do more as Britons prepare to welcome refugees under the Government’s Homes for Ukraine scheme.
An insider at Dumfries House said the Prince’s Foundation, a charity that manages the 2,000-acre estate, was actively looking at how it could help Ukrainians with work, courses and accommodation.
The estate’s education centre
regularly offers training courses in skills from horticulture and sustainable farm practices to engineering. A Royal spokesman last night said: ‘The Royal Household is looking at a number of ways to offer practical help and support.’
The royal family in Belgium last week said it would host three families of Ukrainian refugees. Last year, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde housed some of those who lost their homes in flooding.
Scottish Land & Estates (SLE), a body that represents country
estates north of the border, last week said it had received pledges to provide help from more than 40 landowners.
It is understood that SLE approached Balmoral, the Queen’s private 50,000-acre estate, which will open to the public next month and is currently advertising for waiting and housekeeping staff as well as ‘visitor enterprise assistants’ with accommodation provided.
William and Kate have also offered to use their Royal Foundation to provide support for Ukrainians with mental health problems after the horrors they have witnessed.
Dee Ward, Vice Chair at SLE, said: ‘As estates are rural businesses, many are in the fortunate position of being able to offer not just accommodation but also employment opportunities.
‘There will be many Ukrainian people with experience and talent in farming, food production and hospitality that can be of real value to our rural communities. We are under no illusion how difficult it will be for Ukrainians coming here, but we want to work with the Scottish and UK governments to provide opportunities for individuals and families wherever we can.’